If you have been comparing Australian inbound phone number options, you have likely encountered both 1300 numbers and 13 numbers. They sound similar, serve a similar purpose, and often get lumped together in conversations about business phone systems. But they are meaningfully different in ways that directly affect your annual costs and who each format is actually suited to.
Here is the direct answer: both 13 and 1300 numbers are Australian inbound numbers with broadly the same routing capabilities. The meaningful differences are the number length (6 digits vs 10 digits), the cost (13 numbers carry substantial ACMA government holding fees; 1300 numbers do not), and the type of business each format is right for. For most Australian businesses — including the vast majority of SMEs — a 1300 number is the correct answer. This article explains why, and describes the narrow circumstances where a 13 number genuinely makes sense.
What Are 13 and 1300 Numbers?
Both 13 and 1300 numbers are Australian inbound numbers regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Both operate on a shared-cost model, meaning the caller pays a local rate when dialling from a landline, while mobile call rates vary depending on the caller's carrier plan. Neither is free to call in the way an 1800 number is.
To hold either number type, a business must have a Right of Use (ROU) issued through ACMA, and the number must be provisioned through a licensed telecommunications provider.
The routing capabilities available to both number types are the same. Time-of-day routing, geographic routing, IVR menus, overflow handling, and call recording are all available on both 13 and 1300 numbers. The number format does not limit what you can do with incoming calls.
So what actually separates them?
Format and Length
A 13 number is six digits long — for example, 13 11 66 (Commonwealth Bank) or 13 22 58 (Australia Post). A 1300 number is ten digits long — for example, 1300 688 588. When you are advertising verbally or in print, "Call 13 XXXX" takes up noticeably less space and is easier for a listener to retain after a single hearing. That is the memorability advantage, and it is a real one — though how much it is worth depends entirely on the scale of your advertising.
Cost
This is the most important practical difference for the majority of businesses.
1300 numbers have no ACMA government holding fee. Your cost is the monthly service plan from your telecommunications provider, which covers your routing configuration, features, and inbound call handling.
13 numbers carry a substantial ACMA annual numbering charge — currently in the order of several thousand dollars per year, exclusive of your provider's service plan fees. Based on publicly available provider pricing, this government charge alone is approximately $7,980 per year (ex GST). That figure is separate from and on top of any monthly or annual service plan cost charged by your telco. 1300 numbers attract no equivalent government charge.
For more detail on what 1300 numbers actually cost to run, see how much does a 1300 number cost.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | 13 Number | 1300 Number |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 13 XXXX (6 digits) | 1300 XXX XXX (10 digits) |
| Shared-cost call model | Yes — local rate from landline | Yes — local rate from landline |
| Mobile call rates | Varies by caller's plan | Varies by caller's plan |
| ACMA Right of Use required | Yes | Yes |
| ACMA annual holding fee | Yes — several thousand dollars per year (approx. $7,980 ex GST) | No |
| Monthly provider plan cost | Yes | Yes |
| Time-of-day routing | Yes | Yes |
| Geographic routing | Yes | Yes |
| IVR and overflow routing | Yes | Yes |
| Memorability | High — shorter, easier to recall verbally | Good — widely recognised nationally |
| Best suited to | Large national enterprises with significant advertising spend | SMEs, franchises, professional services, most Australian businesses |
When a 13 Number Is Worth Considering
A 13 number makes genuine commercial sense in a narrow set of circumstances, and it is worth being direct about what those circumstances look like.
National Brands With Major Advertising Budgets
The core value proposition of a 13 number is recall. When your phone number is broadcast on television, radio, or outdoor advertising at scale, a six-digit number is easier to remember than a ten-digit one. For businesses where the telephone number is itself a brand asset — banks, insurers, national service providers, large national retailers — the memorability of a short number can translate into measurable additional call volume.
Think about businesses like Telstra, Commonwealth Bank, or NRMA. Their 13 numbers appear on millions of pieces of customer communication and advertising. The investment in a short number is amortised across an enormous advertising spend.
Businesses Receiving Very High Inbound Call Volume
If your business receives tens of thousands of inbound calls per month, and each call represents significant revenue, the case for investing in a more memorable number strengthens. The incremental conversion benefit of a shorter number — even a small percentage improvement in recall — can represent real revenue at scale.
A Practical Rule of Thumb
If the annual ACMA holding fee is less than 1% of your total annual advertising spend, and your telephone number features prominently in that advertising, a 13 number may be worth evaluating. For most SMEs, this threshold is rarely met. An annual government fee of several thousand dollars is a meaningful overhead for a business spending $50,000 or $100,000 per year on advertising. For a business spending $5 million per year, the calculation looks very different.
For more background on what 13 numbers are and how they work, see what is a 13 number.
When a 1300 Number Is the Right Answer (Most Businesses)
For the vast majority of Australian businesses, a 1300 number delivers everything they actually need.
SMEs, Tradespeople, and Professional Services
A 1300 number gives your business a nationally recognised inbound number that projects a professional presence, regardless of where your team is located or how calls are answered. Customers across Australia can reach you at a consistent number, and you can route calls to mobile phones, office lines, or a virtual receptionist depending on the time of day and call volume.
There is no ACMA holding fee. Your cost is the monthly service plan, which for most SMEs is a modest and predictable operating expense.
Franchises and Multi-Location Businesses
Franchises and businesses with multiple locations use 1300 numbers to present a unified national identity while routing calls based on the geographic origin of each call. A caller in Brisbane reaches your Brisbane team; a caller in Perth reaches your Perth team. This is handled through geographic routing on a single 1300 number — no 13 number required.
Businesses That Advertise Digitally
If your primary advertising channels are Google, social media, or your website, the memorability advantage of a 13 number is largely irrelevant. Digital advertising uses click-to-call, meaning callers never need to manually dial or remember your number. A 1300 number is entirely sufficient, and the routing and analytics features are identical.
Healthcare, Retail, and Any Business Where Cost Efficiency Matters
If your monthly service plan cost is a meaningful consideration — and for most SMEs it is — the absence of an ACMA holding fee on 1300 numbers is a significant advantage. You receive the same routing capabilities, the same professional inbound number experience, and none of the enterprise overheads.
Explore 1300 number plans and features at Pickle to see how a 1300 number can be configured for your business.
For guidance on choosing the right Australian business phone number format overall, see which business phone number is right for you.
Can You Have Both a 13 Number and a 1300 Number?
Yes. Some large enterprises use a 13 number as their primary advertised line — the one that appears on national television campaigns and brand-level communications — and use 1300 numbers for specific departments, products, or marketing campaigns. This allows them to track the performance of individual campaigns without diluting their main brand number.
For an SME, this level of complexity is not necessary. A single well-configured 1300 number handles multiple routing scenarios, campaign tracking, and departmental routing through IVR and call flow configuration — no additional number type required.
Pickle and 13 Numbers
Pickle primarily provides 1300 and 1800 numbers for Australian businesses, and these cover the needs of the overwhelming majority of our customers. If your business is at a scale where a 13 number is genuinely appropriate, contact the Pickle team to discuss options — 13 number provisioning is available for the right use case.
For a full comparison of the other main inbound number types, see 1300 vs 1800 numbers — what is the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are 13 numbers free to call from a mobile?
A: No. Neither 13 numbers nor 1300 numbers are free to call from a mobile phone. From a landline, the caller pays a local rate. From a mobile, the rate depends on the caller's carrier plan — some mobile plans include calls to 13 and 1300 numbers, while others charge separately. Your customers should check with their mobile carrier if call cost is a concern.
Q: Can I get a 13 number for my small business?
A: Technically yes, but in most cases it is not advisable. The ACMA annual holding fee alone runs to several thousand dollars per year — approximately $7,980 ex GST based on current market pricing — before you factor in your provider's service plan. For most small businesses, this represents a significant overhead with limited practical benefit, particularly if your advertising is primarily digital. A 1300 number delivers the same routing capabilities at a fraction of the cost.
Q: Why do banks and big companies use 13 numbers?
A: Large enterprises use 13 numbers because the memorability advantage of a six-digit number has measurable ROI at their scale of advertising. When a phone number is broadcast on national television and printed on millions of bank statements, every percentage point of improved recall translates into real additional call volume and revenue. The ACMA holding fee, while substantial in absolute terms, is a small fraction of their overall advertising spend. For most businesses, this calculation does not hold.
Q: Is a 1300 number as professional-sounding as a 13 number?
A: Yes. A 1300 number is a nationally recognised Australian business number format. Customers across Australia understand that 1300 numbers are used by businesses for inbound calls — they are not perceived as less professional than 13 numbers. The difference is purely one of length and recall, not brand perception. The vast majority of Australian businesses that customers regard as professional and credible use 1300 numbers.
Q: What is the difference between 13, 1300, and 1800 numbers?
A: All three are Australian inbound number formats regulated by ACMA. 13 numbers are six digits and carry an ACMA annual holding fee of several thousand dollars per year. 1300 numbers are ten digits and have no ACMA holding fee — the caller pays a local rate from a landline. 1800 numbers are ten digits, have no ACMA holding fee, and are free to call from both landlines and mobiles — the business absorbs the full inbound call cost. The right choice depends on your business size, call volume, and whether you want to absorb inbound call costs entirely. For a detailed comparison, see 1300 vs 1800 numbers.
Ready to set up a 1300 number for your business? Call Pickle on 1300 688 588 or email [email protected].